The Jinan was commissioned at a naval port in eastern China. From
there, the vessel will join the East China Sea Fleet of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Part of a new
generation of guided missile destroyers, the Jinan will help the
PLAN to expand its ability to operate in the open ocean away from
China's coasts.

This could allow China to further press its territorial ambitions
throughout the Pacific and the South China Sea, and to use its
navy as a counterweight to US influence in the region.

"The guided missile
destroyer Ji'nan (hull number 152), is equipped with multiple
sets of home-made new-type weapons," China Military Online
reports. "It is able to attack surface warships and submarines
independently or in coordination with other strength of the PLAN.
The ship also possesses strong capabilities of conducting
long-distance early-warning and detecting as well as regional
air-defense operation."

Currently, the Jinan is designed to accompany China's sole
aircraft carrier, the Liaoning in order to effectively protect
the 30-year-old, Soviet-built vessel,
according to the Taiwan-based Want China Times. The Jinan is
envisioned as being the last line of defense for the Liaoning.
The carrier's deployment is a landmark for China's military, even
though the vessel has been
beset with technical difficulties.

China has invested heavily in developing its navy as part of a
larger modernization of its military. Along with the 052 model of
warship, China is
also developing the Type 055 Cruiser, which could function as
a multipurpose warship. Although smaller than an American
Zumwalt-class destroyer, the ship is estimated to be able to
carry 128 vertical launch cells for cruise missile
deployment.

Additionally, China is on the cusp of
achieving a fully capable submarine fleet. China already has
one of the largest attack sub fleets in the world, with a mixture
of diesel and nuclear-powered vessels. China also has three
nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines, which could
eventually be capable of targeting the US from the
mid-Pacific.